Original scientific paper

Janko Oberški - On the Fortieth Anniversary of His Death

Adalbert Rebić ; Publisher The Christian Present, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Janko Oberški was a significant theologian. He was a full-time professor at the Catholic Faculty of Theology of the University of Zagreb from 1937 to 1969. He was born in 1893 in Strmec Humski, on the border between Croatia and Styria. He attended the primary school in Taborsko (Hum na Sutli), and high school in Zagreb. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb. He was ordained as a priest in 1918 and pursued his service as a chaplain and catechist in Selnica, Mursko Središće and Križevci in the Zagreb Archdiocese. In spite of plenty of pastoral and catechetical activities he used all his free time to continue studying theology. In 1921 he completed his doctorate in the theology. His thesis was about »The Relation of the Croats to the Dogma of the Papal Infallibility Declared during the First Vatican Council« (Strossmayer question). The thesis stimulated him to dedicate his activities not only to catechetical work but also to ecumenism in Croatia. He assisted at many ecumenical congresses and symposiums where he presented his thesis. He usually reported about these congresses in the Croatian reviews (Kršćanska škola, Bogoslovska smotra and Katolički list). He devoted himself to the biblical sciences at a ripe age of 42 years. He was sent to Rome to the Pontifical Biblical Institute where he studied in Bible Science for 4 semesters and completed his studies with a Masters in Biblical Sciences. In 1937 he started to teach at the Faculty of the Theology in Bible Sciences: oriental languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Syrian and Arabic), Introduction to the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament, The Exegesis and the Archaeology of the Palestine. He published many scientific articles about biblical issues in the Bogoslovska smotra and Katolički list. In the very difficult times of the Second World War and in the postwar times he was the Dean of the Faculty on several occasions (1944-46; 1948-50; 1958-60) and the Deputy Dean for academic affairs. He contributed considerably to the post-war peaceful and effective activities of the Faculty of the Theology.

Keywords

Janko Oberški; catechesis in Croatia; ecumenism in Croatia; Catholic Faculty of Theology; The Bible in Croatia

Hrčak ID:

31764

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/31764

Publication date:

17.12.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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